Kim Jong Un Praises North Korean Troops in Overseas Operations, Expected to Help Russia Fight Ukraine
Geopolitics
Kim Jong Un, North Korea's supreme leader, praised military forces that took part in overseas military operations during a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK, according to the Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, the Pyongyang government's mouthpiece. Kim delivered a speech at the Supreme People's Assembly hall in Pyongyang on Wednesday, September 9, and expressed special thanks and respect to commanders and soldiers who participated in overseas military operations, which likely refers to North Korean troops sent to help the Russian military wage war in Ukraine. Officials from Western countries and South Korea estimate that Pyongyang has sent about 14,000 to 15,000 troops to fight alongside Russia since late 2024. In February 2026, South Korea's National Intelligence Service, or NIS, assessed that about 6,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded in combat. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said in late August that North Korea is still preparing to send additional troops to Russia, but so far no signs have been detected that a new wave of deployments is imminent. South Korean intelligence assesses that North Korea has received economic assistance and military technology from Russia in return for sending troops and weapons to support the war effort.
